The Loneliest Girl - Ch. 2
The Sorting and A New Father
When Heinali awoke the evil looking Severus was sitting on the couch not looking all to pleased. "Albus asked to see you." He stated it more of an order than the request, but his soft voice spoke other wise.
She allowed her body to follow him down the halls, her mind wondering to her old home and her old life. As they stopped at a stone gargoyle Severus spoke some words which she didn't catch before being lead up a spiral staircase to a beautiful room. Dumbledore seemed to appear out of the shadows and motioned for her to sit.
"The reason your here is, well, I need to create a file for you to stay at Hogwarts. Tell me about your old school." he said as he sat in his chair.
"My old school, my old life?" She looked to the ground quickly gathering her thoughts and brought her gaze to meet Dumbledore's. "My mother and father were killed a few months after I was born, the American Ministry of Magic sent me to live at a special orphanage. At age ten I started school at the Texas Academy for Orphaned Witches and Wizards, we called it the academy or prison. It was nothing like this place." She motioned around the room with one hand.
"I was top in all classes, the best of the best until, the school got attacked. By what I don't know, it just exploded. The only reason I got away unharmed was my private riding class. Thunder didn't survive the manticore sting, I summoned the portal and ended up here." Heinali's eyes glazed over as she mentioned the destruction of her school and her favorite mount, but she quickly recovered and forced a genuine looking smile.
"Thank you Heinali for telling me that information. You don't have a surname do you?" the kind Albus asked warmly.
"I have no surname, in fact I picked my own name and I happen to like it. It sounds royal and important."
"Very well, I hope we find someone to take care of you for Christmas and the summer holidays. If not you can stay in your Hogwarts house, under our care of course."
Her eyes brightened at the last statement, but soon faded. "Christmas, summer! Oh how that sounds wonderful. My house, how do I get one?"
"The sorting hat will choose, you will be sorted tonight in front of the school and you will start third year classes on Monday. The hat will also choose one or two people to care for you."
She froze up, "A parent?" I'll have a family to be with?"
"Yes, now go eat and have fun. I'm sure some of the male population will be interested in you." he grinned. "Oh, Severus show her around the school will you?"
Both Heinali and Snape rose and strode from the room, down the stairs and into the great hall to get some food. He headed for the teacher's table and called for the teen to follow pulling out a chair. As she sat the chair was pushed in behind her and Severus sat down to her left.
"Eat up, it will be a long tour and a while until lunch is ready."
After a filling meal they headed through the school for two hours ending up in the dungeons before going outside. Once outside a few males started toward them but stopped short when they saw the professor. Severus politely excused himself knowing what the conversation might turn to and didn't and to impose any restrictions on the questions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At dinner time the hall was in an uproar about the new student who was having a discussion about the school year with Dumbledore and the heads of houses. Soon the discussion changed to who was going to take her shopping for as McGonagall put it 'proper lady like clothes' along with Hogwarts robes. In the end it was decided that Snape would take her due to her shouting competition with McGonagall last night.
Everyone went back to their respected seats and Albus raised his hands causing the noise to die. "Tonight we are in for a special treat, a new person is being added to our number. Heinali step forward and put the hat on your head."
As she sat on the stool the hat covered her eyes in darkness and a voice whispered in her ear.
Ah, the new student Albus told me to be entirely truthful to you so lets start. you have heart and lots of it, also plenty of brains, but my you are very head strong. Oh, you wouldn't do good in Gryffindor already make foes with their head of house. You'd get bored in Hufflepuff , I could see it now if I put you in their spending everyday in dentations or getting into rows. So Ravenclaw or Slytherin for you, best put you in with the snakes to keep you busy and on guard that way you will become more powerful. To SLYTHERIN it is then, see you later tonight then young snake.
As she stood and walked to the farthest table you cold hear her boots echoing off the floor and walls. The only open spot was near the head table and next to the Bloody Baron who welcomed her happily into their group. After dinner was through Heinali hung around waiting to see what the hat meant, but a few of her admirers had taken upon themselves to wait to escort her back even if it they would more than likely get into trouble for it.
When McGonagall had chased out the last few students Albus sighed, "Right, best get on with it then. I'll talk with the hat about what it needs to do before ..." he let the words hang as he crossed the room to the sorting hat and put it on his head.
Those ten minutes that the hat and Albus 'talked' about its next upcoming task were antagonizing everyone. Snape sat at his place not flinching and staring into space, McGonagall and the other professors were talking about the upcoming holidays and Hogsmead visits, while Heinali paced the length of the hall a few times stopping a couple of times each trip to look around at her surroundings.
When Dumbledore finished with the sorting hat he motioned for Heinali to come forward. She gulped and put on a determined face before the hat once again covered her eyes blocking out the light and once again that voice spoke.
scared aren't you, well lets see who's to be your guardian. The hat looked through her memories voicing praise at her accomplishments in school, its disappointment when it saw her in trouble with the professors, and its utter disbelief at her courage in the face of danger. it seems like you need a firm hand to guide you, yet it needs to be caring enough to sooth you when troubled. i feel for your troubles in the past and in the future. only one person i know who can help you on the right path and keep your nose out of others personal lives. Severus Snape. that man has guts, he's your guardian from now on, good luck dear child.
As she took off the sorting hat she grinned at Albus then at McGonagall getting a sly idea in her head. "It said McGonagall would need a firmer hand to control a Slytherin unlike Severus. Professor Snape is my new guardian for he is as I quote the hat 'someone who can help you on the right path and keep your nose out of others personal lives'."
Snape looked at Dumbledore with fear in his eyes, "You mean, I'm her...?"
"Yes Severus you are. I need to talk to you after you take her to the common room. Goodnight." With that he went through a door behind the teacher's table. After Severus lead Heinali down to the Slytherin common room and showed her to her dorm he quickly went back up to Albus' office.
When Snape closed the door Dumbledore pored him a drink as he spoke, "Your charge has had horrible times that have no doubt changed her. It is your job to find out how she is different, take notes on her and turn them into me at the end of each week. I know she is related by blood to one of the staff members, but I don't know whom yet."
"How am I supposed to do that, I don't even know her. Can she trust me so quickly?" Severus replied nursing his drink and staring into the roaring fire.
"Find a way, take her to the stables. She can have any horse as an early Christmas present, it will help break the ice. Trust me Severus, you can do this. Its the best thing for her, yourself, and me."
After Severus finished his drink he headed to his room even though he knew he wouldn't get any sleep that night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*****To anyone who can guess the name of Heinali's horse in the next chapter or what sign she is gets a preview. e-mail me you guesses at mejo@peoplepc.com *****
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything you recognize, just the plot. I don't even own the names Heinali and Ghanima. Although I do own a few articles of Snape's and Wood's clothes. *giggles and smirks at the half bare men*